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06 July 2020

Emergency fund is set up for elephants dying in Botswana from mystery cause

By *Holly Budge, How Many Elephants

Over 400 dead elephants have been counted in the Okavango Delta in Botswana since it was first reported in May 2020, and its being put down to a mystery cause which remains unknown. With the total remaining elephant population on the African continent estimated at 400,000, and with Botswana home to the largest population of 130,000, this could spell disaster for the already dwindling population of the African elephant.

How Many Elephants, a UK registered charity, has set up an emergency fund for Africa’s elephants to assist NGO’s with vital funds to identify the cause of this mystery die-off, and provide continued protection of this keystone species. Without preventative action and funding, the elephants will continue to die.

“The future of the African Elephant is at a tipping point, having already been dealt a blow by the collapse of ecotourism due to Covid-19. Elephants are a keystone species; They play an indispensable role in the healthy functioning of the larger ecosystem. Losing these important ecosystem engineers is of extreme detriment to the environment and beyond. This is a horrific and serious story affecting not only biodiversity but potentially public health too” says Holly Budge, Founder of How Many Elephants.

In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is believed to have started in animals, Dr Niall McCann from National Park Rescue says “without knowing the source, it is impossible to rule out the possibility of a disease crossing into the human population - especially if the cause is in either the water sources or the soil."

To support the How Many Elephants Emergency fund please visit: https://bit.ly/HMEEmergencyFund

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